#1מ Australian Centre for Child Protection The Intervention: Insights from Northern Territory and Australia Professor Fiona Arney Director, Australian Centre for Child Protection University of South Australia University of South Australia Australian Government Department of Industry Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education Improving the lives of vulnerable children#2• The Northern Territory context Population 211,295 28.6% identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, (cf 2.5% Australian popn) 40% of the NT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population are under 17 years of age During 2011-2012, 86% of NT children aged 0-17 who were the subject of substantiations of child abuse and neglect were Aboriginal Most common primary harm type was neglect (52.7%) The number of notifications and substantiations has increased substantially over the past five years WESTERN AUSTRALIA BATHURST ISLAND MELVILLE IS Beagle Gulf DARWIN Adelaide River VICTORIA 169 Van Diemen Gulf 254 36 233 Jabiru 209WY KAKAD ARNHEM LAND Pine Creek Katherine Timber Creek BUNTINE 161 243 126 Malaranka BOPER STUART Hwy 20 96 Daly Walers Dunmarra UCHANAN 80 HWY 182 405 Rabbit Flat Roper Bar Nhulunbuy Cape Arnhem Borroloola CARPENTARIA 269 Cape Crawford Renner Springs BARKLY Tennant Creek 187 Barkly Camooweal Homestead HWY 265 Wauchope Alpurrurutam Barrow Creek, Ti-Tree Yuendumu Hermannsburg 200 (The Olgas) (Ayers Rock) 243 SANDOVER PLENTY Alice Springs Eridunda Finke Kulgera SOUTH AUSTRALIA 485 simpson Desert Poeppel Corner Improving the lives of vulnerable children HWY Yulara ASSETER Kata Tjuta Uluru 248 QUEENSLAND#3. Little Children Are Sacred (Wild and Anderson) Widespread concerns regarding child sexual abuse Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal victims and perpetrators • Children with complex sexualised behaviours Themes consistent with other inquiries (WA, SA, NSW) Systemic view regarding poverty, unemployment, education, housing, community norms, mental health, gambling and pornography Strengthening culture and community control 97 recommendations Improving the lives of vulnerable children#4The Northern Territory Emergency Response (the Intervention) Established under the Howard Govt in 2007, commitment by Rudd Govt to continue exemption from the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 • the compulsory acquisition of prescribed communities (73 prescribed communities but not all compulsorily acquired) . partial abolition of the permit system Income management (50% of pensions and benefits quarantined) Police, mobile child protection team/s Child health checks, trauma services Improving the lives of vulnerable children#5Bidang Minjiang (Croker Island) MapSnake Bay). لى Ngulur Bathurst Island) ALRA Community Non ALRA Community Galwink (Elong island) Maningrida Mingimbl O'Rumingning Gunyangara (Beach) OQYirrkala Gaputy Lake Evella) Beiyuen Gunbahnya (Denpell) Assel Larraka Bulman (Gullin Gun) Naulyu (Daly River) Weemal Kybrook Farm Myaburra (Blokerion Is) OUMDIRUMA Angurugu Manya laluk (Eva Valley) Peppimenant Numbulwar Palumpa (Nganmantyanga) 0 Blajarl Barunga 00 Beswick Jikinggan (Duck Creek O Amarangu 00 Ngukum Minyon Bull Amanbleji (Kildurk} ° Yarralla Pigeon Hels Daguragu Kakanj (Wave HI) Laamanu Willowa Nturba Robinson River Wetungur (Epenters) Cantoan Croak (Owatilla) All Gurung Alpururubm Tara Imanga (Murray Downs) Amplatwaria Witora Yuendum u O OYuelamu Laramba Nyleripl Pmara Jutunta (TI Tree & mile) Engawala (Alcouts) Atijere (Hart Range) Mt Liebig (Wawana) OPapunya ° Kintore (Walungurru) Haasts Bluff (ikunt Hermannsburg +] Amoonguna Areyonga Osanta Teresa Wallace Rockhallo Titikala Kanukatjara (Docker River) Imanpa MuttJulu Finke (Apatula) Improving the lives of vulnerable children#6Identification of prescribed communities WARNING PRESCRIBED AREA NO LIQUOR an offence to hrg possess consume supply wor control Squar beyond this point withou or permit or cence Maximum peralty $1.100-1st once $2,200-2nd or subsequent offences $14.000 and/or 18 months ja for oplysndeg supply over 1,35 thrif person quantity of pure alcohol in liquor bo Its not an offence to decily transport unopened Sigur Prescribed Area provided you can dearly your destination is outside the Prescribed Area NO PORNOGRAPHY is an offonce to bring, poossa, ugly set or minapon certain Maximum penalty possessiout Sre 32600 tur vet material $11.000 seriever mens Maximum penalty supply ST $11,000 supply ss than 5 ms $22.000-andor 2 years jail for 5 or more dems Racist graphic mutonal beyond this point, Government !! For further information, contact the Australian Government's Northern Territory Emergency Response Hotline on 1800 333 995 (24 hours/7 days) - Improving the lives of vulnerable children#7WELCOME TO YUENDUM IF U WANT PORN go to CANBERRA Welcome to WILLOWRA COMMUNITY PLEASE FEEL FREE 2 TAKE OVER TANK ANGLE PARK ING Improving the lives of vulnerable children#8. ● . ● Support for and against the intervention Hasty establishment and poor implementation (developed and deployed in a very short period - role of armed forces), NT govt sidelined Disenfranchisement and further marginalisation Views of men in communities Unclear theory of change View of child sexual abuse being used as a "trojan horse" Contrary to self-determination Brought resources into the territory, support for individual components A number of well-known proponents of the Intervention - individual responsibility Improving the lives of vulnerable children#9• Growing Them Strong, Together (Bath, Bamblett and Roseby) In response to child deaths of children known to the child protection agency in the NT - Broad terms of reference – system wide not just CP service Examined determinants of child abuse and neglect in the NT (colonisation, intergenerational trauma, Stolen Generations, alcohol, family violence, poverty) – again a systems approach - • 147 recommendations, accepted by the NT Government in their entirety Improving the lives of vulnerable children#10Figure 6.1. An Integrated Framework of services and supports for promoting child safety and wellbeing259 Basic needs are addressed (education, employment, housing, nutrition, health, community safety and strong cultural identity and strength] Education/learning opportunities Health Care/developmental assessment Care during and after pregnancy Supports for fathers "Community education (child development, CAN, roles) Policies to support childrearing Parenting skills training Home visiting services Reducing high risk behaviours in adolescents Programs for children with special needs Strategies for children with social and emotional problems Child-sensitive adult services Attachment/trauma focused parent-child programs Intensive family support Community development Community healing and wellness Child protection services Placement prevention Therapeutic interventions for children Out of home care and leaving care services Therapeutic interventions for families Recruitment and Support for carers All children, families and communities! Children, families and communities who may be vulnerable Wellbeing Selective promotion and prevention and Primary prevention support I Children, Ifamilies and Children and families that communities with indicated I require statutory Children who problems involvement cannot be cared for at home Indicated prevention and Treatment and maintenance support support Family Community#11. NT and Federal Govt Responses Contrary to the intent of GTST, increased surveillance and sanctions Strengthen forensic approach - increase in investigations, substantiations, children in care • Lack a theory of change - "family support" Service fragmentation, require CP involvement • Lack of focus on determinants, focus on symptoms • Focus on "front line" child protection practice rather than family strengthening and family decision making methods (despite successful trial of FGC) Change of govt - have removed response to GTST Improving the lives of vulnerable children#12Number of children admitted to and in out of home care in the NT (AIHW, 2012) 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 children admitted to out of home care in year children in out of home care on 30 June Improving the lives of vulnerable children#13Community control Restore the Racial Descrimination Act Now SELF DETERMINATION NOW NO RACISM NO LEASES Racist Card 00000000 0000000 NO INCOME MANAGEMENT BRING BACK COMMUNITY COUNCILS REAL JOBS REAL PAY BILINGUAL EDUCATION FUND A FUTURE FOR ALL COMMUNITIES www.rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com children#14מ Australian Centre for Child Protection Professor Fiona Arney Director Australian Centre for Child Protection University of South Australia (08) 8302 2918 [email protected] www.unisa.edu.au/childprotection University of South Australia Australian Government Department of Industry Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education Improving the lives of vulnerable children